Gas controlled liquid proportioning fluidic device

ABSTRACT

Injection nozzle means comprising means for forming a first liquid flow and a second liquid flow which are directed so as to join with each other, said second liquid flow being passed through a deflecting chamber, means for introducing a pulse signal of compressed gas into the deflecting chamber whereby the second liquid flow is deflected into and out of confluence with the first liquid flow in accordance with the pulse signal.

States tet Matsui et al. [451 Feb. 27, 1973 GAS CONTROLLED LIQUED [5 6]References Cited PROPORTIONING FLUIDIC DEVICE UNITED STATES PATENTS [75]Inventors: Kazuma Matsui, Toyohashi; Hideo 66 507 8/1966 G b a 137,815

roe er et Tsubouch" Kanya both Japan 3,457,934 7/1969 Kinner ..137 s1.s[73] Assignee: Nippondenso Kabushiki Kaisha, 3,386,710 6/1968 Q XAichHwn Japan 3,389,894 6/1968 Binder ..137/8l.5 X 3,477,699 11/1969Drayer ..137/81.5 X [22] Filed: April 30, 1971 Primary Examiner--WilliamR. Cline [21] Appl' 138919 Attorney-Cushman, Darby & Cushman [57]ABSTRACT Foreign Application Priority Data Injection nozzle meanscomprising means for forming May 18 1970 Japan 45,422 a first liquidflow and a second liquid flow which are Dec. 1970 Japan H261 directed soas to join with each other, said second liquid flow being passed througha deflecting chamber, means for introducing a pulse signal of compressedin" gas into the deflecting chamber whereby the second [5 2] U.S. Cl137/823 li id fl i d fl ted into and out of confluence with [51] Int.Cl. ..F15c 1/14 the fir t liquid flow in accordance with the pulse [58]Field of Search ..l37/81.5 signal.

6 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTED ZY B SHEET 1 or 2 1NVENTOR$ SHEET 2OF 2 INVENTOR '5 GAS CONTROLLED LHQUID PROPORTIONING FLUIDIC DEVKCE Thepresent invention relates to an injection nozzle means in which a pulsesignal of a compressed gas is converted to a pulse signal of a flow of aliquid having substantially low surface tension, such as gasoline.

l-lithertofore, in order to convert a pulse signal of a compressed gasinto a pulse signal of a liquid flow, the pulse signal of the compressedgas is firstly converted to another physical value such as an electricsignal or a mechanical displacement, and the physical value isthereafter used to control a valve for interrupting a liquid flow.However, this known system is disadvantageous in that, since the pulsesignal is intermediately converted into a physical value, a higher rateof response cannot be obtained and errors in the system tend to beincreased. Further, the means for converting the pulse signal into aphysical value increases the cost of the entire system. Moreover, theknown system has problems in its reliability and the life.

Accordingly, the present invention has an object to eliminate theaforementioned problems encountered in such conventional system.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an injectionnozzle means adapted to convert a pulse signal of a low pressurecompressed gas directly into a pulse signal of a flow of a liquid havingsubstantially low surface tension, by deflecting a liquid flow by use ofa compressed gas.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an injectionnozzle means which has a high response speed with a high accuracy anddoes not require any means for interrnediately converting into anotherphysical value or any movable part, by virtue of which the nozzle meanscan be made very durable and reliable with a less manufacturing cost.

The above and other objects and features of the present invention willbecome apparent from the following descriptions of a preferredembodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which;

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an injection nozzle embodying the featureof the present invention;

FIGS. 2( A) and (B) diagrammatically show the operation of the nozzlemeans in accordance with the present invention; and

FIGS. 3(A), 3(B), and 3(C) show wave forms at various portions of thenozzle means in accordance with the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings, particularly to FIGS. 1, 2(A) and 2(8),reference numeral (E) shows a base plate, and (2) a passage formed inthe base plate (1) and having nozzles (3) and (4) provided at theopposite ends thereof. Reference numeral (d) shows a liquid supply portfor introducing into said passage (2) a liquid having a low surfacetension, such as gasoline, and (6) shows a deflecting chamber formed insaid base plate (1). The nozzle (4) is opened into the deflectingchamber (6) and the chamber (6) is provided with a branch passage (7)which is in axial alignment with the nozzle (4) and intersecting at anacute angle with the nozzle (3) at the outlet end thereof. The secondliquid flow discharged from the nozzle (4) is shown by referencecharacter (F and divides the deflecting chamber (6) into chambersections (6a) and (6b). Reference numeral (8) shows a recovering passageformed in the base plate (1) at an acute angle with respect to thebranch and having one end opened in the deflecting chamber (6) at aposition adjacent to the branch passage ('7). Reference numeral (9) is arecovering passage having an open end (9a) directed toward intersectingpoint (ill) of the nozzle (3) and the branch passage (7). The other endsof the recover ng passages (fl) and (9) are connected to a manifold line(1 1) provided outside the base plate (1 Reference numeral (12) shows aflow receiving pipe embedded in the base plate (1) in such direction asto be longitudinally aligned with the nozzle (3). Further, referencenumeral (13) shows an air intake port for introducing pulsatingcompressed air into the chamber section (6a) of the deflecting chamber(6), (14) an air vent port for communicating the chamber section (6b)with the atmosphere, and (15) an auxiliary recovering passage forreceiving a film-like flow (F and passing it into the manifold line(11). The base plate (1) having the aforementioned passages, deflectingchamber (6) and the flow receiving pipe (12) embedded therein isassembled together with a mating flat cover plate (not shown).

Operation of the aforementioned injection nozzle means will now bedescribed. FIG. 2(A) shows the liquid flow under a condition in which nocompressed air of pulse is supplied into the chamber section (6a) of thechamber (6). in this instance, a portion of the liquid introduced firomthe liquid supply port (5) into the passage (2) is discharged from thenozzle (3) the first liquid flow. The remaining portion of the liquid inthe passage (2) is discharged from the nozzle (4) into the deflectingchamber (6) as the second liquid flow (F Most of the liquid in thesecond flow (F is passed into the branch passage (7 The flow dischargedfrom the branch passage (7) joins with the first liquid flow from thenozzle (3), intersecting at an acute angle therewith to form a thirdliquid from (F which is deflected in accordance with the combined forceof the first and the second flows toward the recovering passage (9). Thethird liquid flow (F is thus received by the recovering passage (9) andpassed into the manifold (11). When the liquid is of such a type thathas a relatively low surface tension, such as gasoline, it may beprobable that a small amount of liquid in the second liquid flow (Fdischarged from said nozzle (4) flows along the side wall surfaces ofthe deflecting chamber (6) as film-like flows such as shown by thereference numerals (F and (F These flows (F and (F are recovered throughthe passage (8) and the auxiliary recovering passage (15) into themanifold line (11). Thus, it may be impossible to direct the full amountof liquid in the second flow (F into the branch passage (7). However,the error caused by the aforemention flows (P and (F is negligible,since in the present invention the second flow (F from the branchpassage (7) is intersected with the first flow (F at an acute angle toprovide, based on the momentum theory, a deflection of the flow from thedirection toward the flow receiving pipe (12) into the direction towardthe recovering passage (9).

FIG. 2(3) shows the liquid flow under another condition in whichcompressed air is introduced from the air supply port (13) into thechamber section (6a) of the deflecting chamber (6). By introducing thecompressed air into the chamber section (6a), the second flow (F of theliquid discharge from the nozzle (4) into the deflecting chamber (6) isdeflected under the influence of the compressed air toward the chambersection (6b) to be passed through the recovering passage (8) into themanifold (11). In this instance, it may also be possible that a smallamount of the liquid in the second flow (F flows along the side wallsurfaces of the deflecting chamber (6) as film-like flows (1 and (Fportions of which may flow into the branch passage (7). However, thefirst liquid flow (F from the nozzle (3) is not affected by such smallamount of liquid flow which may exist in the branch passage (7), so thatit is passed into the flow receiving pipe (12).

Thus, by introducing the pulse signal of the compressed air as shown inFIG. 3(A) into the chamber section (6a) of the deflecting chamber (6),the amount (Q,,) of the second flow (F in the recovering passage (8)varies in accordance with the air pulse signal, as shown in FIG. 3(8).Similarly, the second flow (F in the branch' passage (7) also varies ininverse relation with the flow in the recovering passage (8). Therefore,the amount of the first, liquid flow (1 in the flow receiving pipe (12)varies in synchronous relation with the air pulse signal as shown by(0,.) in FIG. 3(C). In FIG. 3(8), the value (Q shows the amount of theportions of the flows (F and (F which are constantly passed into therecovering passage (8). Thus, according to the present invention, evenwhen the liquid used in the system is of such a type that has a smallsurface tension, such as gasoline, the air pulse signal can bepositively converted into a liquid flow pulse signal by supplying theair pulse signal to the air supply port (13) and detecting the liquidpulse at the outlet of the flow receiving pipe (12).

In the illustrated embodiment of the present invention, it is possibleto use any liquid of low surface tension, such as ethyl, ethel and thelike in lieu of gasoline. It is possible to modify the present inventionsuch that the chamber section (6a) may be vented into atmosphere withthe chamber section (6b) adapted to be supplied with compressed gas. Insuch a case, the second liquid flow (F may be so directed that itnormally flows from the nozzle (4) into the recovering passage (8) whenno pressure exists in the chamber section (6b) but it may be deflectedto flow into the branch passage (7 when the chamber section (6b) issubjected to the air pressure.

The injection nozzle means in accordance with the present invention mayadvantageously be used in a fuel supply system for internal combustionengines by arranging such that the flow receiving pipe (12) opens intothe intake pipe of an engine whereby the gasoline from the liquid supplyport is passed through the nozzle (3) and the liquid receiving pipe (12)into an intake pipe of the engine in accordance with the air pulsesupplied to the port (13) and having an frequency corresponding to theengine speed and an pulse duration corresponding to the engine load.

From the above description, it will be apparent that the presentinvention provides an injection nozzle means comprising means forforming a first liquid flow and a second liquid flow, a deflectingchamber adapted to receive said second liquid flow discharged therein,the second liquid flow discharged from the deflecting chamber in adirection to intersect with the first liquid flow at an acute angle,said second liquid flow in the deflecting chamber dividing the chamberinto two sections, one of the sections being maintained at a constantpressure, the other of the sections being adapted to the supplied withcompressed gas whereby the second liquid flow is deflected in thedeflecting chamber into or out of intersection with the first liquidflow. In this arrangement, by supplying a pulsating compressed gas intosaid other section of the deflecting chamber, the first liquid flowalone or the combined flow of the first and the second liquid flows canbe taken out as a pulse signal corresponding to the pulse signal of thecompressed gas. Thus, in accordance with the present invention, it ispossible to convert the pulse signal of a compressed gas directly into apulse signal of liquid with high response speed without any intermediateconvertion into another physical value. Thus, the present invention doesnot require any means for intermediately converting the gas pulse signalinto another physical value or any movable parts, so that the injectionnozzle means in accordance with the present invention can be madereliable and durable with less expensive cost. Further, in accordancewith the present invention, a pulse signal of a compressed gas can beconverted into a pulse signal of a liquid merely by slightly deflectingthe liquid flow in a deflecting chamber, therefore a slightly compressedgas may suffice to this end. Thus, it is apparent that the injectionnozzle means in accordance with the present invention is particularlysuitable in an application where it is required that a pulse signal of acompressed gas is converted into a pulse signal of a liquid. When theliquid is of relatively low pressurization, a small amount of liquid inthe second flow (F discharged into the deflecting chamber may extendalong wall surfaces of the deflecting chamber (6) as a film-like flow (Fresulting in generation of bubbles in the deflecting chamber (6) whichmay have undesirable effects on the second flow (F and ultimately makethe operation of the nozzle means unstable. In order to eliminate thisdisadvantage, the injection nozzle means in accordance with the presentinvention may be provided with an auxiliary recovering passage (15) forremoving the film-like flow (F therethrough whereby formation of bubblesin the deflecting chamber (6) can be prevented and a stable operationcan be obtained. The auxiliary recovering passage (15) also serves toexhaust compressed gas from the deflecting chamber (6), so that thecompressed gas is not allowed to pass through the branch passage (7) togive an adverse influence on the first flow (F,). This is very importantin that even when an excessive amount of compressed gas is introducedinto the deflecting chamber (6), the gas does not have any adverseeffect on the second flow so that the nozzle means in accordance withthe present invention can provide a stable operation throughout a widerange of compressed gas pulse signal. Thus, it should be noted that thepresent invention has an advantageous effect in that it provides meanswhich is particularly suitable to convert a pulse signal of a compressedgas into a pulse signal of a flow of a liquid having a low surfacetension.

We claim:

l. A device for controlling which of two outlets will receive a flow ofliquid, comprising:

a body having a notch defined therein;

means defining a first liquid inlet conduit in said body terminating atsaid notch in constriction means defining a first nozzle aimed acrossthe notch;

means defining a second liquid inlet conduit in said body extendingobliquely therein to an intersection with the first fluid inlet conduitwhere said first fluid inlet conduit terminates at said notch;

means defining a first liquid recovering conduit in said body in coaxialalignment with the first liquid inlet conduit and having an inletopening disposed acrosssaid notch from the first nozzle means;

means defining a second liquid recovery conduit in said body having aninlet opening disposed across said notch from the first nozzle meansbesides the inlet opening of said first recovery conduit, said secondliquid recovery conduit being disposed angularly between coaxialalignment with the first liquid inlet conduit and the second liquidinlet conduit, and said second liquid recovery conduit being segregatedfrom said first liquid recovery conduit;

means defining a generally triangular enlargement in said second liquidinlet conduit upstream of the intersection of the first and secondliquid inlet conduits, said enlargement having an apex thereof directeddownstream and a base thereof directed and generally centered upstreamso as to have two corner recesses near opposite lateral extremes of theupstream end thereof;

the second liquid inlet conduit having constriction means defining asecond nozzle where the second liquid inlet conduit means intersects thebase of said enlargement thereof;

a third liquid recovery conduit in said body extending fromcommunication with said enlargement adjacent said apex on the far sidethereof from said notch;

a first gas inlet conduit in said body communicating with saidenlargement in one of said two corner recesses; and

a second gas inlet conduit in said body communicating with saidenlargement in the other of said two cornerrecesses;

one of said first and second gas inlet conduits being constantlycommunicated to a source of gas and the other being communicated to aflow of intermittent pressurized gas.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said one of said first and second gasinlet conduits is constantly communicated to the atmosphere as said gas,and its communication with the enlargement is disposed adjacent the sameside of the enlargement as that of the third liquid recovery conduit.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein said second and said third liquidrecovery conduits ultimately join one another downstream of theirrespective communications with said notch and said enlargement in meansdefining a manifold, and wherein said first and said second liquid inletconduits stem from means defining a common liquid inlet conduitcommunicated to a supply of gasoline as said liquid;

so that, in intervals when no pressurized gas is entering saidenlargement through the other of said first and second gas inletconduits, some of the gasoline issuing from said first nozzle isdeflected in said notch by the gasoline issuing from the second liquidinlet conduit at said notch and leaves therewith through the secondliquid recovery conduit and much of the remainder leaves through thethird liquid recovery conduit and is recombined in said manifold andthat in intervals when pressurized gas is entering said enlargementthrough the other of said first and second gas inlet conduits, most ofthe gasoline entering the enlargement through the second liquid inletconduit is deflected by the pressurized gas and leaves the enlargementthrough the third liquid recovery conduit and the gasoline issuing fromthe first nozzle crosses the notch relatively undeflected and leavesthrough the first liquid recovery conduit and is thus segregated fromthat which left through the third liquid recovery conduit.

4. The device of claim 3 further including a fourth liquid recoveryconduit in said body communicating between the manifold and theenlargement near said apex on the opposite side thereof from thecommunication of the third liquid recovery conduit with the eniargementfor recovering minor amounts of gasoline from this region of theenlargement.

5. An apparatus for controlling a pulse of a high pressure liquid by apulse of a low pressure gas comprising a passage 2 having a liquidsupplying port 5, nozzles 3, 4 formed at both ends of said passage, theliquid fed from the port 5 being received in the passage 2 and led intwo opposite directions'therein, an outlet passage 12 located in coaxialrelation with the passage 2 and spaced away from the nozzle 3, a passage9 connecting with a liquid reservoir and provided near the nozzle 3, achamber 6 connecting with the nozzle 4 which chamber is separated intotwo chambers 6a, 6b by a second liquid flow injected from the nozzle 4,a port 13 located in the chamber 6a for introducing a pulsating pressureair, a port 14 located in the chamber 6b for connecting it withatmosphere, a passage 7 located in coaxial alignment with the nozzle 4and spaced away from the nozzle, the axis of the passage 7 intersectingthe axis of the nozzle 3 at an acute angle, and a passage 8 connectingwith the reservoir, the second liquid flow directed through the chamber6 and the passage 7 deflecting a first liquid flow injected from thenozzle 3 towards the passage 9 and the resultant liquid flow beingreturned to the reservoir through the passage 9, further, when thepulsating pressure air being supplied from the port 13 into the chamber6b, the second liquid flow being directed to the passage 8 by thedifferential pressure between the both chambers 6a, 6b and the firstliquid flow being directed into the output passage 12.

6. An apparatus in accordance with claim 5 which comprises an auxiliaryrecovering passage located near the passage 7 and in the second chamber6b for receiving a film-like flow therein and passing it into thepassage 11.

1. A device for controlling which of two outlets will receive a flow ofliquid, comprising: a body having a notch defined therein; meansdefining a first liquid inlet conduit in said body terminating at saidnotch in constriction means defining a first nozzle aimed across thenotch; means defining a second liquid inlet conduit in said bodyextending obliquely therein to an intersection with the first fluidinlet conduit where said first fluid inlet conduit terminates at saidnotch; means defining a first liquid recovering conduit in said body incoaxial alignment with the first liquid inlet conduit and having aninlet opening disposed across said notch from the first nozzle means;means defining a second liquid recovery conduit in said body having aninlet opening disposed across said notch from the first nozzle meansbesides the inlet opening of said first recovery conduit, said secondliquid recovery conduit being disposed angularly between coaxialalignment with the first liquid inlet conduit and the second liquidinlet conduit, and said second liquid recovery conduit being segregatedfrom said first liquid recovery conduit; means definiNg a generallytriangular enlargement in said second liquid inlet conduit upstream ofthe intersection of the first and second liquid inlet conduits, saidenlargement having an apex thereof directed downstream and a basethereof directed and generally centered upstream so as to have twocorner recesses near opposite lateral extremes of the upstream endthereof; the second liquid inlet conduit having constriction meansdefining a second nozzle where the second liquid inlet conduit meansintersects the base of said enlargement thereof; a third liquid recoveryconduit in said body extending from communication with said enlargementadjacent said apex on the far side thereof from said notch; a first gasinlet conduit in said body communicating with said enlargement in one ofsaid two corner recesses; and a second gas inlet conduit in said bodycommunicating with said enlargement in the other of said two cornerrecesses; one of said first and second gas inlet conduits beingconstantly communicated to a source of gas and the other beingcommunicated to a flow of intermittent pressurized gas.
 2. The device ofclaim 1 wherein said one of said first and second gas inlet conduits isconstantly communicated to the atmosphere as said gas, and itscommunication with the enlargement is disposed adjacent the same side ofthe enlargement as that of the third liquid recovery conduit.
 3. Thedevice of claim 2 wherein said second and said third liquid recoveryconduits ultimately join one another downstream of their respectivecommunications with said notch and said enlargement in means defining amanifold, and wherein said first and said second liquid inlet conduitsstem from means defining a common liquid inlet conduit communicated to asupply of gasoline as said liquid; so that, in intervals when nopressurized gas is entering said enlargement through the other of saidfirst and second gas inlet conduits, some of the gasoline issuing fromsaid first nozzle is deflected in said notch by the gasoline issuingfrom the second liquid inlet conduit at said notch and leaves therewiththrough the second liquid recovery conduit and much of the remainderleaves through the third liquid recovery conduit and is recombined insaid manifold and that in intervals when pressurized gas is enteringsaid enlargement through the other of said first and second gas inletconduits, most of the gasoline entering the enlargement through thesecond liquid inlet conduit is deflected by the pressurized gas andleaves the enlargement through the third liquid recovery conduit and thegasoline issuing from the first nozzle crosses the notch relativelyundeflected and leaves through the first liquid recovery conduit and isthus segregated from that which left through the third liquid recoveryconduit.
 4. The device of claim 3 further including a fourth liquidrecovery conduit in said body communicating between the manifold and theenlargement near said apex on the opposite side thereof from thecommunication of the third liquid recovery conduit with the enlargementfor recovering minor amounts of gasoline from this region of theenlargement.
 5. An apparatus for controlling a pulse of a high pressureliquid by a pulse of a low pressure gas comprising a passage 2 having aliquid supplying port 5, nozzles 3, 4 formed at both ends of saidpassage, the liquid fed from the port 5 being received in the passage 2and led in two opposite directions therein, an outlet passage 12 locatedin coaxial relation with the passage 2 and spaced away from the nozzle3, a passage 9 connecting with a liquid reservoir and provided near thenozzle 3, a chamber 6 connecting with the nozzle 4 which chamber isseparated into two chambers 6a, 6b by a second liquid flow injected fromthe nozzle 4, a port 13 located in the chamber 6a for introducing apulsating pressure air, a port 14 located in the chamber 6b forconnecting it with atmosphere, a passage 7 located in coaxial alignmentwith the Nozzle 4 and spaced away from the nozzle, the axis of thepassage 7 intersecting the axis of the nozzle 3 at an acute angle, and apassage 8 connecting with the reservoir, the second liquid flow directedthrough the chamber 6 and the passage 7 deflecting a first liquid flowinjected from the nozzle 3 towards the passage 9 and the resultantliquid flow being returned to the reservoir through the passage 9,further, when the pulsating pressure air being supplied from the port 13into the chamber 6b, the second liquid flow being directed to thepassage 8 by the differential pressure between the both chambers 6a, 6band the first liquid flow being directed into the output passage
 12. 6.An apparatus in accordance with claim 5 which comprises an auxiliaryrecovering passage located near the passage 7 and in the second chamber6b for receiving a film-like flow therein and passing it into thepassage 11.